Method of processing cloth for water and alcohol resistance

ABSTRACT

A process for treating cloth textiles after a dying cycle to make the cloth textile be resistant to both water and alcohol is described. In particular, after the dying cycle, the dye bath container having the dyed cloth material is mixed with acetic acid and a fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion to exhaust the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer onto the fabric to make the cloth resistant to alcohol. The cloth is also treated after the dying cycle by mixing acetic acid and a fatty amide/wax/fluoroacylate copolymer blend in the water bath to exhaust the fatty amide/wax/fluoroacylate copolymer onto the fabric to make the cloth resistant to water. After each of these treatment steps, the fabric may optionally be tested for the effectiveness of that treatment step. The disposal of the fatty amide/wax/fluoroacylate copolymer and the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion are not as restricted by the EPA as to the type or method of disposal unlike conventional chemicals used in current treatment processes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to the treatment of textiles to make cloth resistant to both water and alcohol and, more particularly, to the treatment of cloth for use in the printing industry to prevent colors from running onto the print roller.

[0002] Color printing utilizes a cloth covering on the print rollers to protect the rollers from colors leaking through from the print medium onto the rollers. This cloth is typically a woven cotton textile that is dyed and then treated with a wax and various solvents to cause the cloth to become resistant to both water and alcohol, thus providing an effective barrier to prevent colors from leaking through the cloth and onto the roller. Such treatments have generally been provided through a bath process following the dying of the cloth into a preferred color for the textile.

[0003] Treatment of the cloth requires a subsequent disposal of the treatment bath, thus raising a significant problem with the disposal of the solvents. The Environmental Protection Agency carefully restricts the disposal of solvents such that under today's EPA standards, the known processes for treating the cloth cannot be utilized in a cost effective manner due to stringent requirements for the disposal of the solvents in the bath.

[0004] Accordingly, an environmentally friendly and cost effective process for treating dyed cloth material used as a protective barrier for print rollers used in the printing industry is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is an object of this invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art by providing a process of treating woven textile cloth that does not utilize solvents whose disposal is restricted.

[0006] It is another object of this invention to provide a process for exhausting the treating chemicals on the cloth material to make the cloth resistant to both water and alcohol.

[0007] It is a feature of this invention that the treatment process occurs in the dye bath container following the dying process.

[0008] It is an advantage of this invention that the process for treating cloth to make the cloth material resistant to water and alcohol is permitted under current Environmental Protection Agency standards.

[0009] It is another advantage of this invention that the treatment process can be formulated to provide a recipe for a given amount of cloth fabric to be treated.

[0010] It is another feature of this invention that the process for treating cloth fabric utilizes acetic acid to exhaust the treatment chemicals onto the material to be treated.

[0011] It is still another object of this invention to provide a process for treating cloth fabric whereby a fatty amide/wax/fluoroacylate copolymer is exhausted onto the cloth fabric to make the cloth resistant to water.

[0012] It is yet another object of this invention to provide a process for treating cloth fabric whereby a fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion is exhausted onto the fabric to make the cloth resistant to alcohol.

[0013] It is a further object of this invention to use a mild acid with both the fatty amide and the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion to exhaust the treatment chemicals onto the cloth before being disposed from the bath.

[0014] It is still another feature of this invention that the mild acid, the fatty amide/wax/fluoroacylate copolymer blend and the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion can easily be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

[0015] It is still another advantage of this invention that the treatment process can be utilized immediately following the dying process for the cloth fabric being treated.

[0016] It is yet another object of this invention to provide a treatment process to create a cloth fabric that is resistant to both water and alcohol that is inexpensive of operation, substantially carefree of disposal problems, easy, simple and effective in use.

[0017] These and other objects, features and advantages are accomplished according to the instant invention by providing a process for treating cloth textiles after a dying cycle to make the cloth textile be resistant to both water and alcohol. After the dying cycle, the dye bath container having the dyed cloth material is mixed with acetic acid and a fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion to exhaust the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer onto the fabric to make the cloth resistant to alcohol. The cloth is also treated after the dying cycle by mixing acetic acid and a fatty amide/wax/fluoroacylate copolymer blend in the water bath to exhaust the fatty amide/wax/fluoroacylate copolymer onto the fabric to make the cloth resistant to water. After each of these treatment steps, the fabric may optionally be tested for the effectiveness of that treatment step. The disposal of the fatty amide/wax/fluoroacylate copolymer and the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion are not as restricted by the EPA as to the type or method of disposal unlike conventional chemicals used in current treatment processes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The advantages of this invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed disclosure of the invention, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0019]FIG. 1 is a logic flow chart showing the treatment process incorporating the principles of the instant invention with respect to the treatment of the cloth for resistance to alcohol beginning with the dye cycle of the process; and

[0020]FIG. 2 is a logic flow chart showing the treatment process incorporating the principles of the instant invention with respect to the treatment of the cloth for resistance to water.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the process for treating a cloth fabric for resistance to water and alcohol can best be seen. The textile is typically a cotton weave of conventional configuration. The process first dyes the cloth in a conventional manner to the desired color and then effects a treatment on the cloth to cause the fabric to be resistant to both water and alcohol. Once treated, the cloth material is used in the printing process to prevent colors from transferring from the printed material onto the print roller. Once the cloth fabric becomes contaminated with the inks used in the printing process, the cloth barrier is removed and discarded, with another suitable piece of treated fabric being substituted therefor.

[0022] The process is preferably formulated for batches of a given amount of cloth fabric, preferably expressed in terms of weight. For example, a batch run could process in a suitably sized container one hundred pounds of cloth at a time with a process that first dyes the material and then treats the material in a manner to make the material water and alcohol resistant. These separate treatments can be done in either order, i.e. the water resistance treatment first or the alcohol resistance treatment first. The amount of water needed for the bath is typically expressed in terms of multiples of, such as twenty times, the weight of the cloth being processed. Thus, for a 100 pound batch of cloth to be processed, the bath would consist of about 2000 pounds of water, or approximately 200 to 250 gallons of water. It will be understood by one skilled in the art that the process of the present invention can be utilized with any given amount of fabric so long as the proportionate amount of water, acetic acid, fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion is added. The description set forth below describes the process for a 100 pound batch of cloth material.

[0023] The process of dying the material is accomplished through any one of a variety of known processes in which dyes are mixed into a bath containing the batch of cloth fabric with the bath being heated and cooled in predetermined cycles to fix the dye onto the material. The material is sampled during the dying cycle in the process to determine if the dye has been properly exhausted onto the fabric in uniform and properly concentrated quantities. Once the dying cycle 10 of the process has been completed, the bath mixture is drained at step 12 from the container leaving the material within the container for treatments for causing the material to be resistant to water and alcohol.

[0024] The container in which the one hundred pound batch of appropriately dyed cloth material is present is first filled with water at step 15, preferably at a tepid temperature in the range of 90-105 degrees Fahrenheit, preferably about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. To this fresh bath, one pound of acetic acid is added at step 20 and the bath is heated at step 22 to raise the temperature to approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit, e.g. from about 105-115 degrees Fahrenheit. The mixture is then agitated for approximately five minutes to assure a uniform distribution of the acetic acid throughout the bath.

[0025] Assuming that the choice of the operator is to conduct the alcohol resistance treatment first, five pounds of a fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion is then added to the bath mixture at step 25, following which the mixture is agitated at step 28 for approximately five minutes to assure an adequate dispersion of the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion throughout the bath mixture so as to be in uniform contact with the cloth material. The fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion for use in the present invention is not limited, and would easily be identified by one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, a suitable fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion is marketed by Chemtex Laboratories Inc. as Chemtex APG-5264. Although not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the acetic acid exhausts the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer onto the cloth material, thereby causing the material to be alcohol resistant. Following the five minute agitation run, a sample of the material can be optionally taken at step 29 to conduct a test to determine the effectiveness of the treatment. Unlike conventional processes, the bath mixture does not have to be drained from the container and the treated material does not have to be rinsed.

[0026] This test for alcohol resistance at step 29 is empirical in nature and involves the extraction of a small piece of the treated material to which is applied a test sample of several drops of alcohol which must not pass through the treated material after sitting on the treated material for a predetermined period of time, e.g. five minutes. If the sample passes this alcohol resistance test, the remaining material within the container can be further treated for resistance to water. If the alcohol resistance test reflects an inadequate capacity, the treatment described above can be re-run, beginning with step 20 and the adding of the acetic acid.

[0027] If the alcohol resistance test has been favorably passed, the cloth material remaining in the bath is then treated for resistance to water. First, one pound of acetic acid is added at step 30 to the mixture within the container, having the partially treated cloth material present therein. The bath mixture is then optionally heated at step 32 to bring the temperature back to the tepid temperature in the range of 105-115 degrees Fahrenheit, preferably approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit whereupon the mixture is agitated for approximately five minutes to be sure that the acetic acid is adequately mixed throughout the bath mixture.

[0028] After the agitation run, five pounds of fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer blend is added to the agitated bath mixture at step 35. One such suitable fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer blend is marketed as FluroGuard EX-2701 by Yorkshire Pat-Chem of Greenville, S.C. Once the fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer blend is added, the mixture is agitated at step 38 for approximately five minutes to assure that an adequate dispersion of the fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer blend throughout the mixture is accomplished. As with the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion, it is believed that the acetic acid exhausts the fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer unto the partially treated cloth material to make the material water resistant. The treated cloth can then be optionally sampled at step 39 by extracting a small portion of the treated material so that a water resistant test can be conducted on the extracted sample. If the sample does not pass the water resistance test, the treated material within the bath must be discarded as the partial water resistance applied to the material will prevent additional treatment thereof.

[0029] The water resistance test is somewhat similar to the alcohol resistance test. A limited amount of water, e.g. several drops, is dropped onto the treated cloth and is retained there for a predetermined period of time, e.g. five minutes, to see if any of the water is absorbed into the cloth material. Provided this last test of the fabric is completed satisfactorily, the bath mixture can be drained from the container and the treated cloth removed from the container at step 40 to be dried in a customary and well known manner.

[0030] The bath mixture does not contain any substances that are restricted by the Environmental Protection Agency with respect to disposal. Accordingly, the bath mixture can be drained and discharged into a conventional sewage disposal system for appropriate treatment before being discharged into the environment. Furthermore, the treated material does not contain any chemicals or other substances that will require special treatment for disposal thereof following the full use in the manner in which the treated cloth was intended.

[0031] It will be understood that changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention will occur to and may be made by those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within the principles and scope of the invention. The foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, concepts, as based upon the description, may be employed in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. 

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:
 1. A method of treating cloth for resistance to water and alcohol comprising the steps of: providing a bath containing a solution of water and acetic acid heated to a tepid temperature; placing the cloth in the bath; adding to the bath a fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion; agitating the bath for a first predetermined period of time to assure a complete dispersion of the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion in the bath to obtain a uniform interaction with the cloth; supplementing the bath with an incremental amount of acetic acid; maintaining the bath at the tepid temperature; incorporating into the bath a fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer; agitating the bath for a second predetermined period of time to assure a complete dispersion of the fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer throughout the bath for uniform interaction with the cloth; and removing the cloth from the bath.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein both said first and second predetermined periods of time is approximately five minutes.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said tepid temperature is approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the bath contains an amount of water equal to a weight of approximately 20 times the weight of the cloth being treated.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the ratio of acetic acid to water in the bath prior to said placing step in terms of weight is approximately 1 to
 2000. 6. The method of claim 5 wherein said the incremental amount of acetic acid added to the bath during said supplementing step is approximately equivalent to the amount of acetic acid placed into the bath prior to said placing step.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of said fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion added to the bath during said adding step in terms of weight expressed as a ratio to the weight of the cloth is approximately 1 to
 20. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of said fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer added to the bath during said incorporating step in terms of weight expressed as a ratio to the weight of the cloth is approximately 1 to
 20. 9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: testing the cloth following each of said agitating steps to determine the adequacy of the resistance of said cloth to water or alcohol.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said testing step requires a sampling of said cloth by removing a swatch therefrom for testing outside of said bath.
 11. The method of claim 1 wherein said cloth is dyed prior to said placing step.
 12. A method of processing cloth comprising the steps of: providing a bath containing solution of water and acetic acid heated to a tepid temperature; placing the cloth in the bath; treating the cloth to be resistant to alcohol, said alcohol treatment including the steps of: adding to the bath a fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion; agitating the bath for a predetermined period of time to ensure a complete interaction between the cloth and the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion; and testing the cloth for resistance to alcohol; treating the cloth to be resistant to water, said water treatment including the steps of: supplementing the bath with an incremental amount of acetic acid; incorporating into the bath a fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer; agitating the bath for a predetermined period of time to assure a complete dispersion of the fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer throughout the cloth within the bath; and testing the cloth for resistance to water; and then, removing the cloth from the bath; wherein said bath is maintained at a generally constant tepid temperature for both said alcohol treatment and said water treatment.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the amount of acetic acid in the bath in the providing step and the incremental amount of acetic acid added into the bath during said supplementing step in terms of weight is each expressed as a ratio to the weight of the cloth is approximately 1 to
 100. 14. The method of claim 12 wherein the amount of the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion added to the bath during the adding step and the amount of the fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer added to the bath during the incorporating step in terms of weight expressed as a ratio to the weight of the cloth is each approximately 1 to
 20. 15. The method of claim 12 wherein each of said testing steps requires a sampling of said cloth for testing outside of said bath.
 16. The method of claim 12 wherein said predetermined period of time is approximately five minutes and said tepid temperature is approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
 17. A method of treating cloth comprising the steps of: providing a bath containing solution of water and acetic acid heated to a tepid temperature; placing the cloth in the bath; adding to the bath a fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion suitable to cause the cloth to become resistant to alcohol; and agitating the bath for a predetermined period of time sufficient to ensure a complete dispersion of the fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion in the bath.
 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of: supplementing the bath with an incremental amount of acetic acid; maintaining the bath at a generally constant tepid temperature; incorporating into the bath an amount of fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer sufficient to cause the cloth to become resistant to water; agitating the bath for a period of time to ensure a complete dispersion of the fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer throughout the bath.
 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the amount of said fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer emulsion added to the bath during said adding step and the amount of said fatty amide/wax/fluoroacrylate copolymer blend added to the bath during said incorporating step in terms of weight expressed as a ratio to the weight of said cloth is each approximately 1 to
 20. 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the amount of acetic acid in said bath in said providing step and the incremental amount of acetic acid added into the bath during said supplementing step in terms of weight expressed as a ratio to the weight of the cloth is each approximately 1 to
 100. 